Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays Predictions, Picks and Odds
The No. 6 seed Tampa Bay Rays will head to Cleveland to take on the No. 3 seed Guardians. The Rays had the worst record of any team heading into the 2022 postseason and they are probably the most vulnerable team in the bracket.
The Rays had a losing record on the road, are in the bottom third of the MLB in most offensive categories, and do not have multiple lockdown starters in their rotation.
On the other hand, the Guardians are chock-full of arms, they play well at home, and they are favorites in this series for a reason. Sportsmemo MLB handicapper Eric Pauly gives his Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays AL Wild Card series betting preview.
Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview
Proj. Starters for CLE: Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Aaron Civale
The Guardians locked down the AL Central in the month of September by being one of the hottest teams in baseball. Their top three starters, Bieber, McKenzie, and Quantril, have been electric and unhittable at some times this season. Their bullpen is also strong and they will look to beat teams on the strength of their pitching staff.
The Guardian’s offense is similar to Tampa – they leave a lot to be desired. Cleveland is in the bottom third of MLB in most offensive metrics.
However, they have a lineup with more pop than the Rays. Jose Rameriz had a fantastic season and he is the best hitter either of these teams will trot out there this season.
Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview
Proj. Starters for TB: Shane McClanahan, Jeffery Springs, Drew Rasmussen
The Tampa Bay Rays were certainly good enough to make the postseason, but they pale in comparison to the other teams in the field. Tampa uses a ton of arms in their bullpen, which works in the regular season, but they do not have any pitchers who are true studs late in ballgames.
In the playoffs, all it takes is one bad inning, and since they have so many arms, they do not truly have anyone they can trust for multiple innings in their bullpen.
Offensively, the Rays have struggled throughout the season. The Rays’ inability to score runs has been their Achilles heel. Tampa Bay finished 21st in runs per game and 21st in runs per game on the road. Facing a great starting pitcher duo for the Guardians, does not inspire much confidence at all.
Cleveland Guardians vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
This is the closest-priced series of the Wild Card round, and I am not so sure why. In a three game series, there is no way the Rays’ arms can match up with the Guardians.
Tampa’s pitching numbers were great this year, but considering the way their team is structured, there is more room for their staff to bust rather than boom. With all three games being in Cleveland, ride the Guardians to win the series
Prediction: Cleveland Guardians to win series (-115)
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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